August 28, 2022 – National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) – Angel City FC News Release
Angel City FC, NJ/NY Gotham FC and NWSL dignitaries
(Angel City FC, Credit: Angel City Football Club)
HARRISON, NJ – Angel City Football Club beat NJ/NY Gotham FC 3-1 on the road today, following goals by midfielder Savannah McCaskill, midfielder Cari Roccaro, and forward Claire Emslie, and a goal for Gotham by forward Paige Monaghan.
Gotham were on the front foot for the first 10 minutes of the game, putting together a handful of chances and limiting Angel City’s time in possession. Forward Ifeoma Onumonu had two near misses early on, first in the seventh minute when she took a close-range shot that keeper DiDi Haračić blocked over the endline for a corner kick; in the 12th minute, she hit the inside of the far post with an angled shot from the right. Haračić scooped up the ball as it bounced to the ground, narrowly keeping Gotham off the board.
After that close call, the momentum began to shift in Angel City’s direction, and in the 16th minute, midfielder Savannah McCaskill opened the scoring. Dribbling toward goal from the left, she nutmegged midfielder McCall Zerboni, took a touch, and drilled an angled shot into the upper 90 at the far post.
From there, the visitors dominated the rest of the half. In the 24th minute, forward Simone Charley drove into the box, wove through three Gotham defenders, and took a crack from close range. Her initial shot deflected off a defender, but it fell to midfielder Cari Roccaro, who was lurking on the goal line. Roccaro put the ball away, notching her fourth goal in five games.
Angel City notched their final goal of the day in the 31st minute. After a quick one-two with McCaskill, forward Claire Emslie drove toward the upper right corner of the 18, created some distance from her defender, and sent a hard left-footed shot sailing past goalkeeper Michelle Betos and into the net.
Gotham came out swinging in the second half and got one back in the 52nd minute. Midfielder Nahomi Kawasumi and forward Kristie Mewis passed the ball back and forth at the top of the 18 several times, with Mewis finally getting a shot off from close range. Haračić stopped the initial shot, and the ball bounced around between players from both sides for a moment before forward Paige Monaghan recovered it and put it away.
Angel City played a largely defensive game for the rest of the second half, often staying home and looking to block Gotham’s passing…